Marleau Continues Hot Streak as Sharks Win

San Jose, Calif. — Patrick Marleau became the second player in NHL history to open a season with four straight multigoal games, striking twice on the power play in the first period in the San Jose Sharks’ 4-0 victory against the Colorado Avalanche yesterday.

Marleau has scored exactly two goals in each game this season, joining Ottawa’s Cy Denneny in 1917-18 as the only players to open a campaign with four multigoal games, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Both of Marleau’s goals came after Ryan O’Byrne took two additional minor penalties for retaliating after San Jose’s Brad Stuart flattened Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog with a vicious hit.

Rangers 5, Maple Leafs 2

New York — Defenseman Marc Staal scored the tying goal early in the third period and then set up Marian Gaborik’s game-winner late to rally New York over Toronto.

This one had all the signs of being another tough loss for the Rangers, who had already dropped three of their first four in the lockout-shortened season. But Staal got New York even at 2 at 7:36 of the third and then fired the drive that Gaborik deflected in with 7:03 left.

Blackhawks 3Blue Jackets 2

Columbus, Ohio — Jonathan Toews scored the game-winner early in the third period and Corey Crawford had 24 saves to help Chicago match the best start in franchise history, 5-0-0.

The only other time the Blackhawks began a season 5-0-0 was 1971-72.

Patrick Kane had two assists for the Blackhawks, who have a 40-23-7 record all-time against the Blue Jackets. Crawford, who won for the fourth time this season, was solid all night but particularly when the Blackhawks were a man down.

Steve Mason held his own with 21 saves for the Blue Jackets, who lost their third in a row.

Flyers 7, Panthers 1

Sunrise, Fla. — Matt Read notched his first career hat trick and the Flyers beat Florida for their second straight win after losing their first three games of the season.

Kimmo Timonen, Tye McGinn, Luke Schenn, and Ruslan Fedotenko also scored for the Flyers, and Ilya Bryzgalov had 30 saves.

Peter Mueller scored for the Panthers and Scott Clemmensen stopped 13 shots in relief of Jose Theodore, who was pulled after allowing three goals on nine shots in the first period. The Panthers have lost four straight after winning their season opener. They have been outscored 18-2 in that stretch.

Canadiens’ Pacioretty Out

Montreal — Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty will miss three to four weeks after having an emergency appendectomy.

The team announced in a brief statement yesterday that the 24-year-old Pacioretty had the procedure to remove his appendix.

He has four assists and a team-high 10 shots on goal in three games this season. Pacioretty, drafted 22nd overall by Montreal in 2007, has 53 goals and 65 assists in 205 games with the Canadiens.